Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-03-04
THE STEPPES.
The Marvellous Richness of Fertility of the
Hungarian Soil.

The Marvellous Richness of Fertility Of the
Hungarian Soil.
The aspect of these steppes in Hun.
gary varies considerably according
90 the nature of the soil. In some
places it is DOGGY, in others sandy and
incapable Of cultivation; in others
again it is mavelously rich and fertile,
producing crops that an English az
riculturist would deem absolutely fab
ulous. In such areas it has been dug
to the depth Of five hundred feet with
out the bottom of the soil having even
then been reached. Wheat, pOppies-
the latter grow for a kind of confec-
tionery- sun1owers, buckwheat, hemp.
fax and maize are all cultivated largely.
In some parts Of the plains the method
adopted is TO plant or SOW in strips OF
about eighty feet wide by several miles
In length. and the stranger as he
lounges along i'm his britsSto or leitcr-
sCdgCn through the long, straight roads
which seem to lead nowhere but the
distant shore beyond, and sees no
habitation far or near is led to
wonder whore the people live, fol
whom the roads are made, who is
found TO cultivate the soil. and whether
benevolent earth spirits do not rise
during the night to till the land. SOW
the seed, and hoe and wood those end
less lines Of golden wheat and purple
poppies The soil so fertile, the
haryests. as | have said, are wonder
fully abundant, and this I'm spite Of the
eroaJ drawbacks 20 which the crops
are subject from drought on the one
hand and inuudation, on the other. IN
truth the poor Magyars live ON the
threatening calamitics The for
mor il believed to be due I'm
great measure 10 the absence
Of trccs-a phenomenon that strikes
The traveller Immediately ON en-
tering the Alfold To remedy this evil
In some degree. viz. the drYue>s O.
coil, trees are being planted ploutitUliy
invarious parts, while IN other, attempts
oro made to irrigato the land hy means
of canals. The inundstions, however.
arc difficulty that can never bc over
come. Year 10y year a war offensive
nnd defensive is wagcd between the
waters Of the Danube and 81, two trihu-
taries the Maros and the ThCiss- and
the unfortunate Inhabitants of the
Town. and villages on its banks. As
ehe beds o. the rivers rise the dihcs are
raised also but whom the streams that
have their source in the Carpathians
melt suddenly. the position of the Mag
vars il one Of extreme danger. no arti-
fcisl barriers being strong enough to
resist the great pressure thus suddenly
brought TO bear upon them. the result
being tho bursting Of the bikes and the
inundation OF the surrounding country.
There is also another phenomenon pre-
judicial 10 the interests Of the land. the
rivers flow sU6tcrrancously; i'm dry sea-
sons they drain the soil hv attracting
its moisture 60 themselves. and during
heavy rains the water Of The ovcr-full
-ivors, pcrcolating through the light
alluvai soil. converts the plains into q
gigantic swamp. Nor are these the
only unfayorabie physical conditions
OF their country which the Hungarians
have to encounter, the Danube is con-
stantly changing its course, having in
some instances lcS towns and village,
many miles distant which wcrc once
situated on its banks. while il now
flows close to others which were origi-
nally far away.-Icmplc BaS.